School news details

Our annual musical tour was this year to Krakow, Poland and was a great experience for both pupils and staff. Our itinerary included a walking tour of Krakow, a visit to the Wieliczka Salt Mines, Wadowice (the birth place of Pope John Paul II) and the Auschwitz Concentration camp. The pupils performed three Masses and a concert at beautiful Basilica of St Francis, St Klemen’s Church and St Nicholas’ Church. Pupils performed beautiful choral music including traditional folk songs from the UK and sacred music (composed especially for the tour). The pupils were especially taken by the superb Baroque Churches and the devotion shown by the people of Krakow.

The experience was invaluable and pupils were a credit to the school and Sunderland. 

 

A pupils view of the Krakow tour - Katie Collings (Year 11)

 

Poland was very different to what we all expected. When we landed it was very hot and we all had to take our jackets; we were all dressed for snow! The hotel was very pretty and had good food and nice big rooms. We visited many places and one of the most moving was Auschwitz Concentration Camp. It was a very harrowing experience seeing all of the horrific things and made many of us cry, but it was worth it and the visit was a very meaningful one. The people from the churches where we sang were very nice and the churches themselves were beautiful. We got some great photos from our trip including the fire-breathing dragon (the national emblem of Poland). Overall Poland was a great experience and I’m sure many of us will return in the future.